In a groundbreaking initiative to foster economic empowerment, the Fredericksburg Area Association of Realtors® (FAAR) participated in a comprehensive Financial Literacy Program called Ignite Others aimed at equipping young people with essential money management skills. This program, originally created by the National Association of Realtors®, provides free educational resources and workshops to local schools to help students make informed financial decisions and build a stable future.
“With the rising cost of living and increasing costs for both rental and purchase housing, financial literacy is more important than ever,” said Nate Ferguson, a local Realtor® and Chair of FAAR’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. “Our goal is to empower students with the knowledge and tools they need to achieve long-term financial well-being.”
Ignite Others covers key topics including budgeting, saving, understanding the importance of credit scores, and planning for future living expenses. The program hosted workshops in three different facilities including The Oberle Academy, the Phoenix Center, and Massaponax High School, serving over 75 students in total.
The goal of the program is to be engaging and informative for local students. Instructors are all active members of FAAR as either real estate licensees or affiliated business members. Instructors share their personal stories demonstrating real world careers in the real estate industry. FAAR members continue to outreach to more schools to set up workshops once classes resume in the fall. Reach out to pbrowning@faarmembers.com if you’d like more information about Ignite Others or to schedule a workshop for your classroom.
